Philly State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta is preparing to run for state auditor general

Philadelphia State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta is preparing to run for auditor general next year, a move that reflects the Democrat’s rising profile since his unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate.

Kenyatta said Friday he is “seriously, seriously considering” the race and said being the state’s fiscal watchdog is an opportunity to “keep taxpayers and working people from being screwed.”

“What we need in the auditor is somebody who is actually going to speak out and talk about what’s wrong,” he said, “and also be collaborative in trying to fix it.”

The three-term lawmaker is set to appear at a fund-raiser Saturday in Allegheny County hosted by a handful of western Pennsylvania Democratic donors and activists. If Kenyatta decides to officially get in the race, he’d likely make an announcement this spring.

The auditor general’s office is currently held by Timothy L. DeFoor, a first-term Republican and the former controller of Dauphin County. DeFoor in 2020 became the first Republican in more than two decades to win the office, and he clashed with Kenyatta shortly after his election.

During a hearing before the House state government committee called in early 2021 to review the state’s election auditing process, Kenyatta pressed DeFoor to affirm the results of the 2020 election. DeFoor refused, saying only that he believed his race was fair. Later on the floor of the House, Kenyatta said DeFoor “can’t call a ball, he can’t call a strike, he’s a coward.”

» READ MORE: Who is Malcolm Kenyatta, the Pennsylvania state representative who ran for Senate?

Kenyatta was widely expected to seek higher office following the U.S. Senate race last year, which put him on the radar statewide. He developed a reputation for running a hard-charging campaign, demonstrating strong social media prowess, and knowing how to create viral moments.

Still, he wasn’t able to catch up to John Fetterman, who was an early front-runner and won decisively. U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb of Western Pennsylvania came in second. Despite finishing third, Kenyatta traveled across Pennsylvania for months to aggressively stump for Fetterman ahead of the general election.

Kenyatta, 32, has long been a progressive activist and has described himself as a fighter for working people. In 2018, he became the first Black, openly LGBTQ person elected to serve in the General Assembly. Prior to serving in the legislature, he worked on diversity initiatives at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

Becoming the auditor general can serve as a springboard to higher office. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D., Pa.) served two terms in the office, as did his father, Bob Casey Sr., who went on to become governor. Eugene DePasquale, a Democrat who preceded DeFoor in the office, unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Scott Perry for a seat in Congress in 2020.